Printing machine



Jan. 5, 1932. E. L. WALKER ErAl. 1,840,069

PRINTING MACHINE L- M42/MAM l l l l i WINT- luf Inn-iu T1- T INVENTORS lllm L z l @144% r ATToRNEYs Jan. 5, 1932. v E. 1 WALKER ET AL 1,840,069

PRINTING MACHINE Filed MaIGh 14, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 5, 1932 j UNITED- STATES PATENT OFFICE MERY I. WALKER, OF WAUWATOSA, AND ARTHUR W. WERNER, OF MILWAUKEE, WIS- CONSIN, ASSIGNORS TO KIECKHEFER CONTAINER COMPANY, O F MILWAUKEE, WIS- VOONSIN, A CORPORATION. 0F MAINE PRINTING MACHINE Application filed March 14, 1930. Serial No. 435,804.

` Thisinvention relates to improvements in V printing machines.

In the paper boX making industry, the printing upon the cartons or containers is performed upon the flat cardboard before all the steps necessary toproducethe container are completed. Heretofore,a heavy ink very similar to paint has been used. This ink was very slow in drying, and consequently, the remaining steps in producing the container had to be postponed for a considerable period of time toprevent smearing of the ink before it had become sufciently dry. Various attempts wer-e made to use a rfast drying ink, but these were unsuccessful due to the fact that in the ordinary type of press either a ducking lroller or a plurality of transfer rollers are employed to transfer the ink from the inking means tothe yimpression roller. With the ducking roller or with a plurality of transfer rollers, too great an interval of time elapses in the transfer of th-e ink, and if the latter is of a rapidlyk drying character it will harden and build up upon the rollers thereby making frequent removal and cleaning necessary. Furthermore, in the ordinary type of press, no means is provided for keep ing the transfer roll in constant contact with fresh ink to permit the latter to redissolve unused ink upon the transfer roller.

It isV one of the objects of this invention to overcome the above mentioned diiiiculties and to provide a printing machine which is designed to 'use a fast .drying ink, and which is so constructed as to prevent the ink from drying and building up on the rollers.

A further object of this invention is to provide` a printing machine in which the transfer roller is at all times kept in direct contact with fresh ink so that unused ink upon the transfer roller will "be immediately'redissolved.

A` further object ofl 4this invention is to provi-de a printing machine in which a sub stantial body ofl fresh inklinliquid form is kept in constant contact with one ofthe rollers to feed ink thereto, and to Vkeep all inkr` thereon in a solvent state so as to eliminate the possibility of ink drying and building up on said roller or onadjacent rollers.

A more specic Vobject is to provide an improv-ed printing machine employing a grooved ink measuring roller, a transfer roller, and an impression roller, in which an upper portion of the ink measuring' roller is engaged by a doctor blade and in which a continuousflow of ink is appliedbehind said doctor blade to 'maintain aty all times asubstantial bodyof ink between said doctor blade and the roller. l

A further object of this invention is' to provide an improved printing machine which is efficient in operation and well adapted for the purpose described. j 1

With the above and other objects in view, this invention consists of the improved printing machine, and all its'parts and combinations, as set forth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof. In the accompanying drawings, illustrating one complete lembodiment of the pre'- ferr-ed form of the invention, in which the same reference 'numerals designate the same parts in all of the views: Y Y A Fig. l is a side elevation of a portion of a printing -machine embodying the improved features;

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof;

Fig. 3 is an enlargedsectional view taken on line 3 3 of'F ig. 2; Y

' Fig. 4: is a view similar to Fig. 3, the end shield, however, being shown in vertical section; Fig. 5 isa detail view showing a portionof the ink measuring roller and adjacent mechanism, parts being broken away; f

F ig.l 6 is. adetail'plan view ofthe doctor blade adjusting mechanism; and

Fig. 7 is a ,fragmentary sectional view showing a modiiiedform of construction.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 8f designates a frame portion for supporting al platform v9 over. which sheets* of material upon which'printing isto'be .done are adapted'to be passed. The vertical frame portions extend upwardly above the platform yas at l0 to support upper side rails V11. PositionedV between spaced apart guide members 12 on; each side of the frame, are: vertically mov-` ifo ica

able bearing blocks 13 which are engaged by the lower ends of coil springs 14.

Journaled in the bearing blocks is a shaft 15 carrying a rigidly mounted impression roller 16. The latter roller carries on its outer surface curved plates 17 formed with raised characters 18 thereon, which when suitably inked are adapted to create printed matter u on sheets of material which are engaged y the roller.

A supporting roller 19, which is positioned below a recess in the platform 9, is mounted rigidly on a shaft 20. The said shaft which is journaled below the platform carries on one end a rigidly mounted gear 21 which meshes with a gear 22 rigidly mounted on the shaft 15. The shaft 2O also carries a rigidly mounted sprocket wheel 20 which is connected by a sprocket chain 21 with suit- ,0 able driving mechanism (not shown).

Extending laterally from the upper portions of the members 12, on each side of the frame, are supports 23 between which rods 24 extend. Mounted on said rods and exg5 tending between said supports is a drip pan 25 having lower openings 26 therein to which pipes 27 are connected, the said pipes leading to an ink circulating system (not shown).

A shaft 28, journaled in bearings 29 on 30 the supporting members 23, carries a rigidly mounted ink measuring roller 30, the said roller having a plurality of grooves 31 extending around its outer periphery. Another shaft 32, which is journaled in bearings 33, carries a rigidly mounted transfer roller 34. The outer surface of said roller is preferably constructed of soft material such as rubber. The transfer roller engages both the ink measuring roller 30 and the impresu sion roller 16 and is adapted to pick up a. measured supply of ink from the grooves of the roller 30 and to transfer the same to the impression roller.

Upright members 35, which project from a the members 12 on each side of the frame have a rod 37 extending therebetween. A plurality of doctor blade supporting brackets 38 each have a bore 39 in the upper portion thereof through which the rod 37 loosely exn tends. The lower portions of said bracket-s connect with the upper edge of a doctor blade 40 to support the latter. Extending upwardly from each of said brackets is an arm 41 having a forked upper portion 42. A col- 53 lar 43 mounted rigidly on the rod 37 adjacent each bracket 38 also has an upwardly extending arm 44, said arm having a perforation in its upper end. i

Arms 45 have lower handle portions 46 00 and upper forked portions 46', said forked portions each having two sets of perforations 47 and 48 therein. A pin extends through the perforations 48 and the perforation in the upper end of the arm 44 to connect the es latter to the arm 45. An adjustment member is provided with an outer threaded p0rtion 49, with an intermediate slotted portion 50, and with an inner upwardly curved portion 51 having a perforation in its end terminating at 47. A pin extends through said perforations and through the perforations 47 in the arm 45 to connect the adjustment member to said arm. A coil spring 52, which surrounds the threaded portion 49 of the adjustment member is positioned between a collar 53 and a nut 54. It may readily be seen that by turning the nut 54 the doctor blade 40 will be caused to more firmly en age the ink measuring roller 30. By pu ling up on the handle portions 46 of the arms 45, the doctor blades may be moved a considerable distance away from the roller to facilitate the removal of parts.

A pipe 55, which is connected with an ink circulating system has branches 56 extending therefrom, the said branches connecting with a feed pipe 57 having lower perforations 58 therein through which ink is caused to flow upon the ink measuring roller.

At each end of the rollers 30 and 34 are end shields 59, each shield having a semicircular portion 6() extending verticall and partially surrounding the shaft 28, an having another semi-circular portion 6l extending horizontally and partially surrounding the shaft 32. Brackets 64 extending upwardly from the drip pan 25 further support the end shields. Each shield is also formed with interior passageways 62 which direct ink from the ends of the rollers to a lower opening 63 in the shield through which the ink is discharged into the drip pan 25. The shields are supported by the shafts 28 and 32.

In the modified construction shown in Fig. 7, two doctor blades are em loyed, one for the transfer roller and one or the ink measuring roller. The second doctor blade 40 is connected to the collar 43 behind the collar 38, and in this modification both collars are loose on the shaft 37.

In use, the ink is deposited in a continuous flow upon the grooved roller 30 and a sub-y stantial body of said ink accumulates behind they doctor blade 40. As the roller 30 ro tates during operation, all ink is removed from that portion of the roller which passes the doctor blade 40 except the measured quantity contained by the grooves 31 of the roller. The measured quantity of ink is then picked up from the grooves by the soft transfer roller y34 and is applied to the impression roller 16. Any ink left upon the transfer roller after contact with the impression roller will be immediately redissolved by the direct contact with fresh ink on the grooved roller. In the ordinary type of press, where the transfer roller reciprocates back and forth between the inking roller and the impression roller, or where a plurality of transfer rollers are employed, there will be too great an in 130 l'iasiaogoiso terval of time between the reception of inkl from the inking roller and the delivery of said ink to the impression roller, and if a rapidly drying ink is used, it will harden and build up on the rollers making frequent cleaning necessary. In applicants device, a

single transfer roller only isv used, and said roller is always in contact with the fresh ink on the inking roller so that unused ink is almost instantaneously redissolved.

As there is a continuousflow of ink ony the inking roller 30 behind the doctor blade, the ink will naturally How off at the ends of the roller. The said ink is guided by the pas-k sageways 62 in the end shields to the drip pan 25. From the drip pan the ink is directed by the pipe 277150 an ink circulating system (not shown) the said system adding vehicle to the ink and returning it to the feed pipe 57 as fully set forth in a co-pending application of applicants Serial Number' 435,803.

Although only two forms of the invention have been shown and described, it is not desired to be limited to theeXact showing, as

the broad concept of the invention includes all changes and modifications as may come within the scope of the claims.

What we claim is:

l. In a printing machine, a rotatably mounted impression roller for printing upon v material engaged thereby, a rotatablymounted ink measuring roller, means for keeping a substantial body of ink in fluid form in direct contactwith an upper portion of said ink measuring roller to supply ink thereto,

and a rotatably mounted transfer roller directly engaging said ink measuring roller and said impression roller for transferring ink to the latter, said body of ink serving to redissolve unused ink upon the ink measuring roller and the solvent ink on the ink measuring roller serving to redissolve unused ink on the transfer roller.

Y 2. In `a printing machine, a rotatably mounted impression roller for printing upon material engaged thereby, a rotatably mounted grooved ink measuring roller, a doctor blade for keeping a substantial body of ink in fluid form indirect contact with said ink measuring roller to supply ink thereto, said doctor blade serving to remove all ink from the portion of the roller which passes it eX- cept that contained by the grooves therein, and a. rotatably mounted transfer roller engaging said ink measuring roller and said impression roller for transferring n a measured quantityr of ink to the latter, said body of ink serving to redissolve unusedink upon the ink measuring roller and the solvent ink, onr f the ink measuring roller serving to redissolve unused ink on the transfer roller. n

3. In a printing machine, a; rotatablyy mounted impressionroller for printing upon A material engaged thereby, a rotatably mount-V yed'iiik measuring roller," a doctor' blade for keeping asubstantial body ofink influid formin .direct contact with said ink lmeas-y uring roller to supply Sink thereto, arota-tably mounted .transfer roller engaging said ink measuring roller and said impression rollerfor transferringLa measured quantity of ink to the latter, :and a doctor blade engageable'witli a portionv of said transfer roller prior to `reception of a new supply of ink by said portion, said body of ink serving to redissolve unused ink upon the ink measuring roller and the solvent ink on the ink measuring roller serving to vredissolve unused ink on the transfer roller.

t.' In a printing machine, a rotatably mounted impression rollerfor printing upon material engaged thereby, a rotatably 'mount-l ed ink measuring roller, a" doctor blade for keeping a substantial body of'ink in iiuid form in direct contact with said ink measuring roller to supply ink thereto, a rotatably reception offa' new supply of ink by said portion, saidbody of ink serving to redissolve unused ink upon the ink measuring roller and the solvent ink on the ink measuring roller serving to redissolve unusedinkon v`the ytransfer roller, vand end sliield'means adjacent tbe-ends of the transfer roller and the ink measuring roller for conducting surplus ink away from the ends of the doctor blades.v

- 5. In 'a printing machine,a roller, a rod spaced from'said roller and extendingl paraljl lel thereto, a bracket pivoted to said rod, an

armk extending from said bracket, al lever arm pivotally assoiated with said rod, and a link connectingsaid lever arm with the arm 'onthe doctor y`blade bracket, said lever arm being movable to cause disengagementof the doctor blade Yfrom the roller.

6. In a. printing machine, apair of coo'pe'r ating rollers, a rodl spaced from said rollers and extending parallel thereto, a bracket pivoted to a. said rod, a doctor blade carried by said bracket and engagea-ble with one of said n rollers, another bracket pivoted to said rod, a doctor blade carried by said second bracket and engageable with the other roller, arms extending from said bracket, and a common adjustmentinember associated with said arms for `regulating said doctor blade.

7. In a'printing machine, a pair of cooperating rollers, a rod spaced fromsaid rollers and extending parallelthereto, ay bracket pivoted to said rod, a doctor blade carried by said bracket and engageable with one of said rollers, another bracket pivoted to said rod,

a doctor blade carried by said second bracket and engageable with the other roller, arms exn '130 tending from said brackets, a lever arm pivotally associated with the arm of one of said brackets, and a link connecting said lever arm with the other of said bracket arms, said lever arm being movable to cause disengagement of both of the doctor blades from the rollers.

8. In a printing machine, a rotatably mounted impression roller for printing upon material engaged thereby, a rotatably mountf ed ink measuring lroller, a doctor blade for keeping a substantial body of ink in fluid form in direct contact With said ink measuring roller to supply ink thereto, a rotatably mounted transfer roller engaging said ink measuring roller and said impression roller for transferring ink to the latter, said body of ink serving to redissolve unused ink upon the ink measuring roller and the solvent ink on the ink measuring roller serving to redissolve unused ink on the transfer roller,

and end shields having reversely curved portions adjacent the ends of both the transfer roller and the ink measuring roller for conducting surplus ink away from said ends.

u 9. In a printing machine, a rotatably mounted impression roller for printing upon material engaged thereby, a rotatably mounted ink measuring roller, a doctor blade for keeping a substantial body of ink in fluid 0 form in direct contact with said ink measuring roller to supply inl: thereto, a rotatably mounted transfer roller engaging said ink measuring roller and said impression roller for transferring ink to the latter, said body *5 of ink serving to redissolve unused ink upon the ink measuring roller and the solvent ink on the ink measuring roller serving to redissolve unused ink on the transfer roller, and end shields having reversely curved portions 4 adjacent the ends of both the transfer roller and the ink measuring roller, said end shields having passages therein for directing the ink from the ends of the rollers to a point of discharge.

In testimony whereof We' aix our signatures.

EMERY L. WALKER. ARTHUR W. WERNER. 

